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Don't use /Program Files or /Program Files (x86) for saves/timetables.

You are here: Home > Forum > Wishlist > Features wish list > Don't use /Program Files or /Program Files (x86) for saves/timetables.

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Don't use /Program Files or /Program Files (x86) for saves/timetables. 22/04/2010 at 14:45 #1157
Sacro
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1171 posts
Using these folders is not recommended since Windows Vista, it'd be a lot nicer to use CommonApplicationData (maps to C:ProgramData on my system), it'd help make SimSig futureproof and would stop permissions issues!
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Don't use /Program Files or /Program Files (x86) for saves/timetables. 22/04/2010 at 14:45 #8718
Sacro
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1171 posts
Using these folders is not recommended since Windows Vista, it'd be a lot nicer to use CommonApplicationData (maps to C:ProgramData on my system), it'd help make SimSig futureproof and would stop permissions issues!
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Don't use /Program Files or /Program Files (x86) for saves/timetables. 22/04/2010 at 17:28 #8720
Meld
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1111 posts
Never had a problem with permissions with UAC - I always turn it off and custom install everything :lol: :lol:
Passed the age to be doing 'Spoon Feeding' !!!
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Don't use /Program Files or /Program Files (x86) for saves/timetables. 22/04/2010 at 17:53 #8722
Sacro
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Ah yes but two wrongs don't make a right!
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Don't use /Program Files or /Program Files (x86) for saves/timetables. 18/05/2010 at 09:45 #9264
BarryM
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2158 posts
Sacro said:
Ah yes but two wrongs don't make a right!
Sacro, what are you on about? Simsig is set up to install the programs in Program Files. As long as you are an Administrator, you should not have any problems.

BarryM

Barry, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Don't use /Program Files or /Program Files (x86) for saves/timetables. 18/05/2010 at 09:51 #9265
Sacro
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I didn't say about not installing the programs there, that is both fine and recommended, timetables and saves however shouldn't go in there, they should go in %CommonApplicationData%, you shouldn't need to have admin rights to use SimSig. Relying on compatibility folders is not future proof.
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Don't use /Program Files or /Program Files (x86) for saves/timetables. 19/05/2010 at 00:55 #9283
BarryM
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2158 posts
Sacro said:
%CommonApplicationData%
I am using XP. I deduce that this has been added in Vista. Making life difficult for Geoff. Is it in Windows 7?

Have admin rights changed since XP?

BarryM

Barry, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Don't use /Program Files or /Program Files (x86) for saves/timetables. 19/05/2010 at 13:22 #9289
Sacro
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1171 posts
BarryM said:

I am using XP. I deduce that this has been added in Vista. Making life difficult for Geoff. Is it in Windows 7?

Right, No, Maybe, Yes

BarryM said:

Have admin rights changed since XP?
Yes, an 'administrator' account no longer gives you write access to folders under /Program Files*/, herein lies the issue.

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Don't use /Program Files or /Program Files (x86) for saves/timetables. 20/05/2010 at 19:12 #9303
Lordmwa
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148 posts
i have no issues at all on windows 7 -just click next on all the windows and im away
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Don't use /Program Files or /Program Files (x86) for saves/timetables. 20/05/2010 at 22:37 #9311
lpeters
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160 posts
You are able to install games but, you aren't able to view the timetables or saves in Windows Explorer - you can see them in the sim itself because the SimSig program created them and are considered the owner/creator and can see it; but in Windows Explorer, we have read/execute access only as administrators; I believe that %CommonApplicationData% can be swapped out for C:/Documents and Settings/<name>/Application Data anyway.
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Don't use /Program Files or /Program Files (x86) for saves/timetables. 20/05/2010 at 22:59 #9312
Sacro
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That folder will work in XP, not in 7 (not sure about Vista).

Anything other than %CommonApplicationData% would be hardcoded and hence unrecommended.

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Don't use /Program Files or /Program Files (x86) for saves/timetables. 21/05/2010 at 14:46 #9323
lpeters
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@Sacro: I meant that an OS check could be carried out if %CommonApplicationData% did not work in XP and if the OS returned as MS XP, then it could swap out the %<snip>% and replace it with the C:/Doc<snip>/Application Data.
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Don't use /Program Files or /Program Files (x86) for saves/timetables. 22/05/2010 at 00:54 #9330
Lardybiker
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771 posts
OK...time to add my two penneth here....

Since Vista, MS has restricted access to the Program Files using something called the UAC. Sarco is correct in that, according to MS recommended practices, Program Files is meant for application data that can be read but not written by the application. There are actually two locations the Timetable data could go and still remain editable under these conditions: CommonApplicationData or CommonDocuments. However, CommonDocuments as generally used for user created data so in this case probably isn't the best location but CommonApplicationData would work just fine in this instance.

These parameters are available through a Windows API to any application so there is no need to search for them. These locations should be available. Windows programs can acces them use the API calls with the CSIDL constant. There are dozens of these locations, each has a particular use. See http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb762494%28VS.85%29.aspx for a list.

NOTE: the actual physical locations on the hard drive these parameters point to will alter depending on the OS. Under XP, user data is stored under C:Documents & Settings..... In Vista, this moved to C:Users..... Using the CSIDL_... constants allows an application to obtain these folder locations in a unified way, no matter what OS is running underneath and the resultant path points to where that location is on the machine the application it being run on.

So the upshot is in order to make this work, two things need to happen....
1) The application needs to be altered to set the default load/save to wherever CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA is.
2) The installer would need to be updated to install the Timetables to this location.
I'll talk to Geoff and see what he thinks...

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